Shiv, batsmen make merry

published by arichard on Thu, 10/31/2013 - 05:17

KOLKATA,
India – West Indies batsmen, led by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, their most
experienced, heeded head coach Ottis Gibson’s advice and made the most of
steady, if not threatening Uttar Pradesh bowling in their tour-match on
Thursday here.

Chanderpaul
led a strong batting performance and was unbeaten on 91, sizing up his 68th
first-class hundred, as the Windies piled up 333 for four when bad light
stopped play half-hour after the scheduled close with 11 overs remaining on the
opening day of the three-day match at the Jadavpur University Complex.

Gibson
said the previous day that his side needed to wisely use the only match they
had prior to the first of two Tests against hosts India, starting next
Wednesday at the nearby Eden Gardens – and they obliged him.

Narsingh
Deonarine batted with confidence and was the perfect foil for Chanderpaul, his compatriot,
fellow left-hander and player from whom he has modelled his game, sharing 170 –
unbroken – for the fifth wicket. He was not out on 83.

Kieran
Powell, another southpaw, held steady in the opening spot with 64 and Darren
Bravo, the fifth of the left-handers in the West Indies top six, was typically smooth
with 61.

Chris
Gayle and Marlon Samuels were the only two that failed to miss out – victims of
a bit of inconsistent bounce from the unfamiliar pitch – but they too, promised
much and will no doubt look to make their presence felt when and where it
matters most.

Play
started an hour later than scheduled due to a wet outfield – but overcast skies
gave way to hazy sunshine and West Indies were blessed with first use of a
docile pitch and a quick outfield after they won the toss.

Gayle
started the show with a crisp straight drive off beanpole fast-medium bowler
Ankit Rajpoot and Powell flicked Rudra Pratap Singh, the discarded India
left-arm fast bowler, through backward square leg for his first boundary to get
off the mark.

Just
when it looked like Gayle had anchored himself, he was bowled for 18, dragging
on a delivery – from medium-fast bowler Imtiaz Ahmed – that kept a bit low.

West
Indies reached 37 for one at lunch before Bravo, in particular, and Powell
emerged from the interval to gallop the scoring rate with attractive stroke-play
all around the wicket.

Bravo
was fortunate on 18, when Singh dropped him on 18 at backward point off leg-spinner
Piyush Chawla, but he kept his composure to reach his 50 from 57 balls in just
under 1 ¼ hours with a single to square leg off the same bowler.

Typically,
Powell looked like the Rock of Gibraltar and reached his 50 from 99 balls in
just under 2 ¼ hours, whipping the first ball from Singh at the start of a new
spell from the Pavilion End through mid-wicket for his ninth boundary.

The
two young left-handers literally had the Uttar Pradesh bowling at their mercy,
putting on 112 for the second wicket until Bravo too, was undone by a bit of
inconsistent bounce and was bowled off the inside edge, sparking a wobbly
15-minute period for West Indies.

Powell
followed in the next over, when he misread a delivery from off-spinner Arish
Alam and was bowled and Samuels hit a few silky strokes before he was caught
behind for 12 essaying a back-foot drive at a delivery from Ahmed that grew on
him.

West
Indies had sunk from 145 for one to 163 for four, but Deonarine came to the
crease about half-hour before the rescheduled tea break and spent the rest of
the day batting with Chanderpaul.

Deonarine
batted with crisp assurance, mixing sound defence with rasping strokes, taking
West Indies to 194 for four at tea.

After
the break, he raced to his 50 from 54 balls, when he lofted Rajpoot straight for
the last of his two sixes, but he put away his shots late in the day, allowing
Chanderpaul to reach his 50 from 94 balls and overtake him before the close.